Description

The Tiptop Audio Valhalla Shimmer Reverb Z-DSP Cartridge for Z-DSP is a high-end reverb and pitch shifting expansion cartridge for the Tiptop Audio zDSP Voltage Controlled Signal Processor. Coded and designed by Sean Costello from Valhalla DSP, purveyors of well regarded effects plugins.

The Z-DSP Shimmer cartridge has 8 original algorithms, designed to combine lush reverberation with multiple voices of pitch shifting, to create ethereal pads, rich chordal textures, dissonant clouds of sound, and a variety of other sounds that are perfect for electronic music. The algorithms are customised to work with the Tiptop Audio Z-DSP Eurorack module.

There are 6 reverb algorithms in the Z-DSP Shimmer cart, arranged in order of complexity:

Fast Shimmer: A modulated reverb that quickly decays away into an endlessly pitch shifting tail. The shift interval can be set between +/- 12 semitones. Perfect for that classic “octave up” shimmer sound.
Slow Shimmer: Similar to Fast Shimmer, but with a much slower attack.
Dual Shimmer: Two pitch shifted voices, embedded within a larger modulated reverb network, shifting the reverb decay in both positive and negative directions. Try slowly sweeping the Shift control in this mode for ridiculously cinematic sounds.
Triple Shimmer: Two pitch shifted voices embedded within the reverb decay network, plus a third voice external to the network. This allows the user to have a reverb with +12 and -12 semitones of feedback, plus a stable +7 semitones voice without feedback.
Quad Shimmer: Four pitch shifted voices feeding into a lush modulated reverb. This allows for a variety of dissonant and consonant chordal textures, with the max Shift setting corresponding to a rich major chord.
ClusterVerb: Four pitch shifted voices embedded within the feedback network of a modulated reverb. The result quickly becomes dissonant or metallic. Perfect for insta-Ligeti, or Penderecki In A Box.

In addition, the Z-DSP Shimmer cart features 2 special effects algorithms:

Quad Detune: 4 short pitch shifted delays, feeding back on each other. A variety of chorus, detuned, and dissonant effects can be obtained through this mode. Turn up the Feedback for maximum fun.
PitchEcho: A single pitch shifting voice, combined with a tape echo emulation = sound mangling joy. Turn up the feedback for barberpole self oscillation, and sweep the decay time for all sorts of swoopy glitches.